Smuts sets up 3-0 South Africa sweep in spite of Labuschagne's homecoming ton

South Africa swept a second successive residence series against Australia, and extended their winning streak to 11 out of the previous 12 ODIs from this opposition, with a good dominant performance found in Potchefstroom. After defeating Australia 5-0 in 2016, and 2-1 in Australia in 2018, South Africa won 3-0 under fresh white-ball captain Quinton de Kock to get rid of their house summer on a higher.

Jon-Jon Smuts, who missed the the trip to India on September as a result of fitness concerns, anchored an easy chase of 255 with a career-best 84, assisted by contributions from the rest of the top five. Heinrich Klaasen, specifically, played a solid supporting role and have scored his second half-century of the series to increase an unbeaten 123 in the opening match. Klaasen completed as the top rated run-scorer, and the only person to post a lot more than 200 runs over the three matches.

South Africa's line-up had their assault to thank for providing them with a chaseable concentrate on after a miserly effort in the field. Without Kagiso Rabada (harmed) and Lungi Ngidi (rested), South Africa restricted Australia to a below-par score with Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, debutant Daryn Dupavillon, Smuts and Keshav Maharaj all conceding five works an over or significantly less.

Despite their defeat the visitors, and one specifically, had something to celebrate too. Marnus Labuschagne marked his return to his city (or at least the closest cricket surface to it) along with his maiden 50-over century for his adopted country, in just his 6th ODI. With a significant extended family occurrence in the stands, Labuschagne came off a first-ball duck in Bloemfontein, to rating a run-a-ball hundred in an usually laboured Australia innings.

On a hot day and a slow surface, the majority of Australia's batting was a struggle with fluency only coming in the last five overs, where they scored 42 works. Contrastingly, South Africa batted more easily on a pitch that seemed to increase as the afternoon wore on. Crucially, Australia's attack didn't appear to include the same control and didn't keep strain on the house batsmen, who were person but punishing in their reply.

Quinton de Kock and Janneman Malan started positively, perhaps overly as a result when de Kock slammed a six off Jhye Richardson over long-off and to the mind of a cameraman, who needed treatment from South Africa's physiotherapist. He did not have the same victory against Josh Hazlewood, who dismissed him for the 6th time in 12 suits when de Kock inside-edged to his stumps.

Smuts might have been gone two balls later when he edged the first of all ball he faced wide of first slip, nonetheless it went for a number of. Hazlewood kept his keep over the top buy and dismissed Malan with a hint of seam motion in his next over, which offered Australia a sniff. But, Smuts and Kyle Verreynne ensured it was nothing extra with a third-wicket partnership of 96.

Smuts was strong against spin while Verreynne was extreme on the Richardsons, striking Kane for 13 in one above and Jhye for 13 found in another. Verreynne was the even more aggressive of both and raised a maiden fifty, off 48 balls, before slogging Adam Zampa to deep midwicket. Zampa possessed an charm against Smuts two balls afterwards, which was not given out and replays showed the umpire's call could have stood, and within the next over Smuts reached fifty off 62 balls. He remained relatively watchful while Klaasen pulled out the reverse-sweep and the take off D'Arcy Brief and a dangerous aerial shot over mid-off off Kane Richardson to place South Africa firmly in control.

With 76 works required off the previous 16 overs, Smuts joined in the fun and found five boundaries within the next four overs, which put him around the corner of a hundred. It had been not to be, as he dispatched a Kane Richardson slower ball to David Warner at long-on. At that time, South Africa needed only 26 runs to succeed and Klaasen have scored all but two of these. He finished the meet in the 46th over with two fours and a six off Mitchell Marsh to hand South Africa a remarkable win.

Before, Nortje started speedily, clocking 151kph at 1 stage, and drew initially blood vessels when he found Warner's outside-edge found in the fifth above. His new-ball spouse Sipamla did not include the same gas but kept Aaron Finch calm with restricted lines, although his first spell may have lasted an over too much time: his fifth over expense 10 runs, following the first of all four went for 11.

He was replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo, who made the big breakthrough with his third delivery when he dismissed Steven Smith lbw. When Dupavillon possessed Finch caught at brief extra covers, Labuschagne was kept with a repair job, as South Africa's spinners proven control over the mid-section of the innings. Between overs 20 and 30, Australia managed simply three boundaries, but Labuschagne ticked along to 50 off 59 balls during an 81-operate stand, which finished when Short clipped Smuts uppishly to midwicket.

Marsh hit the sole six of Australia's innings when he scooped Dupavillon above backward square but it was back again to the grind immediately thereafter. Australia entered the previous 10 overs on 180 for 4 and dropped Marsh to a run-out and Alex Carey for a duck in the 43rd over. But Labuschagne was readily available for a late assault. He required successive fours off Sipamla to enter the 80s and have scored three in a row off Phehlukwayo to move deep into the 90s. In eight deliveries, Labuschagne went from 75 to 97 and two balls later, raised his hundred with wonderful gusto. While he punched the weather and roared in delight practically a whole section of the main stand stood to applaud. These were on their feet again in the final over, when Labuschagne was bowled by Nortje with the penultimate ball of the innings, and in all probability knew Australia didn't have enough.